The incredible diversity of sagebrush chemistry

Authors: Justin Runyon

Publication Date: 2016

Abstract/Summary: The incredible diversity of sagebrush chemistry and its potential value in restoration from the SER Great Basin Chapter, The Great Basin-Native Plant Project and Fire Science Exchange, the BLM Plant Conservation Program, and the US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station. Sagebrushes (Artemisia, subgenus Tridentatae) are champion chemists and famous for their abundant and complex volatile bouquets. The chemical make-up of sagebrushes plays important roles in plant fitness and survival and is an unseen but fundamental component of sagebrush habitats. Justin Runyon, Research Entomologist, USFS RMRS, Bozeman, MT discusses the diversity, distribution, possible functions, and potential use in restoration of sagebrush chemistry, focusing on volatiles.